Patriots win Super Bowl LI, 34-28
We go now live to footage of New England Patriots fans:
Incredible! But let's check on Atlanta Falcons fans:
Oh dear.
Yes, we've just experienced a Super Bowl for the ages. The 2016-17 NFL season has come to a spectacular finish with Super Bowl 51. The final score isn't a surprise; I predicted it would be 35-31. How we actually got to the final score is what blows all our minds.
I tweeted throughout the game, commenting on big plays, funny moments, commercials, and every scoring play. We'll focus on the game highlights.
New England can't help but think there's no way they can recover from such an enormous deficit. But there's lots of football to yet be played...
A field goal. Not exactly what they were hoping for.
21-3 Falcons.
And that's it for Atlanta's offense.
Either way, 28-9 Falcons.
The Falcons can't muster up anything offensively - a complete reversal from the beginning of the game! The Patriots are determined to finish the job. Brady wants his fifth ring.
But surely the Falcons can correct their wrongs and seal their season with a win, right?
The Falcons react to their horrific meltdown loss.
I tweeted throughout the game, commenting on big plays, funny moments, commercials, and every scoring play. We'll focus on the game highlights.
Super Bowl timeline
All of the following times are in Pacific standard time (GMT-8), based on time stamps of my game time tweets.3:38PM
Kick-off. The game begins with a defensive clash; neither team can put points up on the board. It looks like the shootout that many expected wasn't going to happen.3:54PM
Sacks, sacks, and more sacks! Brady and Ryan are both taken down by tough defenses. Offenses can't get anything going.4:08PM
We have our first turnover of the game! The Patriots fumble the ball and the Falcons swoop in and recover. The Falcons offense has a chance to draw first blood.4:13PM
The Falcons swiftly advance down the field, the first major offensive threat of the game.4:16PM
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS! 7-0 for Atlanta after Devonta Freeman runs it into the endzone.4:30PM
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS! 14-0 for Atlanta after Matt Ryan makes a pass to Austin Hooper.4:33PM
The Patriots, at this point, have performed poorly. Already down 14-0, the Patriots desperately need to stop the bleeding and get back in the fight before the Falcons can really dig their talons in.4:38PM
The Falcons start taking holding penalties.4:42PM
The Falcons take even more holding penalties. The team considers renaming themselves the Atlanta Penalties.4:46PM
PICK SIX! Robert Alford swipes the ball and runs it all the way back. TOUCHDOWN FALCONS! 21-0 Falcons. The Patriots react:
New England can't help but think there's no way they can recover from such an enormous deficit. But there's lots of football to yet be played...
4:56PM
The Patriots start to march down the field. Finally, some life.5:02PM
Finally, the Patriots score!A field goal. Not exactly what they were hoping for.
21-3 Falcons.
5:08PM
Halftime. Falcons up 21-3. The Patriots need to recover fast, or else this game will turn into a repeat of XLVIII.5:35PM
The third quarter begins. Atlanta has the ball, but quickly goes three and out.5:50PM
But Atlanta quickly takes the field again and advances towards the endzone rapidly.5:54PM
TOUCHDOWN FALCONS! Tevin Coleman grabs a pass from Matt Ryan. 28-3 Falcons.And that's it for Atlanta's offense.
6:04PM
The Patriots and Falcons lock horns - er - helmets.6:07PM
TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS! At last, Tom Brady finds the endzone, passing to James White! Too bad Gostkowski's kick went wide right. Nothing going right for New England, even when scoring touchdowns!
Either way, 28-9 Falcons.
6:27PM-6:28PM
Tom Brady gets sacked. Twice. Lots of sacking in this game!6:29PM
Field goal New England! 28-12 Falcons.
6:38PM
HUGE FUMBLE! The Falcons cough up the ball and the Patriots swiftly pounce and recover. This - this is the turning point in the game.6:43PM
TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS! Danny Amendola catches a pass from Brady, and then the team posts another two points! The Patriots roar back into the game, now within one score. It's on now! 28-20 Falcons.
7:00PM
An incredible catch by New England - was almost surely going to be a Falcons interception!7:07PM
TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS! JAMES WHITE RUNS IT IN! GAME TIED!
The Falcons can't muster up anything offensively - a complete reversal from the beginning of the game! The Patriots are determined to finish the job. Brady wants his fifth ring.
7:15PM
Overtime.
But surely the Falcons can correct their wrongs and seal their season with a win, right?
7:25PM
TOUCHDOWN PATRIOTS! JAMES WHITE RUNS IT IN AGAIN! THE GAME IS OVER! THE PATRIOTS HAVE WON IT ALL! AGAIN!
The Patriots celebrate their comeback victory.
And so caps off one of the most incredible Super Bowls in recent memory. The Patriots showed up late, but when they did, Atlanta capitulated. Never have I seen such a dramatic Super Bowl collapse. What happened, Atlanta? You forced Brady to make costly mistakes, just as I had predicted, but then your offensive weapons fell silent! The Falcons' missteps allowed the Patriots to capitalize and rally in the fourth quarter before delivering the killing blow in overtime.
The Patriots leave Houston with another Super Bowl win, while Atlanta leaves empty-handed, just as they left Miami empty-handed back in 1999.
The Patriots leave Houston with another Super Bowl win, while Atlanta leaves empty-handed, just as they left Miami empty-handed back in 1999.
